Cancer, Stress-Reduction and Meditation

The following studies suggest that meditation can decrease the likelihood of recurrence of cancer. A mindfulness meditation program was effective in decreasing mood disturbance and stress symptoms in both male and female patients with a wide variety of cancer diagnoses, stages of illness, and age. When individuals with cancer involve themselves with self-help strategies such as relaxation, mental imaging, meditation, monitoring of one’s thoughts and journalling, often several hours a day, they experience better quality of life and survival than those who don’t apply these therapies. Relaxation and alleviation of stress are crucial to healing.